


Coffee, Tea, or Me?

by apaixono, exolimelight



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: EXOLimelight2017, Famous!AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-24
Updated: 2017-10-24
Packaged: 2019-01-21 10:01:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12455097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/apaixono/pseuds/apaixono, https://archiveofourown.org/users/exolimelight/pseuds/exolimelight
Summary: In his defense, Kyungsoo wasn’t a big fan of mainstream KPop. How was he to know that he was serving coffee to THE hallyu superstar Suho?





	Coffee, Tea, or Me?

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt #: 261  
> Pairing/Main character(s): D.O./Suho  
> Rating: G  
> Word Count: 10.3K  
> Warning(s): None

* * *

* * *

 

Do Kyungsoo likes to live a simple life. His closet is filled with blacks and whites and blues, with only the occasional olive green and maroon. His apartment, a cozy and modest one-bedroom flat in the heart of a sleepy college town near Gangnam is also monochromatic, blacks and greys and whites, dark polished wood and shiny steel. His hobbies are reading, taking care of his succulents, watching movies, and photography. When he's not working or traveling, he likes cooking and baking. Recently, he adopted two dogs, Hoochoo and Mongmool, and they're taking up his free time. He doesn't mind, if that means he gets an armful of fur every time he enters his flat.

Kyungsoo owns a quaint café called Limelight a few blocks away from his apartment complex, a white bungalow with big windows and monochromatic furniture. He loves his little café, the wire lamps hanging from the ceiling and the black barstools and the small pops of color from the mini flower arrangements that the café manager and his cousin Baekhyun does when he's not preoccupied and the mini cakes bigger than his palm and coffees that can be as dark as his wardrobe or pale brown as the color of Mongryong's fur, Baekhyun's adorable corgi and Limelight's unofficial mascot. He loves all of his customers, the sleep-deprived college students who go through an average of three cups of coffee per visit and the cute couples who feed each other cake and the people around his neighborhood who chats with him as they get their coffees. He loves his staff members, his friends from college and their friends that eventually warmed up to Kyungsoo. There's his cousin Baekhyun, his college friends Chanyeol and Jongin, Jongin's friend Sehun and Baekhyun's best friend Jongdae, and Minseok, his college sunbae. There's also Yixing, his neighbor who sometimes moonlights as his delivery guy, and Luhan, Sehun's crush and another one of Kyungsoo's college sunbaes who plays live music whenever he's not busy. On days when he wasn't doing admin work with Minseok, the café's official accountant, Kyungsoo would be in the kitchen, making pasta and rolling dough and frosting cakes. Kyungsoo loves his café, and he loves living his simple life even more. He likes sticking to his routines, his carefully planned days, and his constants—and he likes to keep it that way.

Everything changes one gloomy Thursday, with overcast skies and strong gales knocking the occasional passerby. The few customers that are seeking solace in the café are mostly college students, hunched over laptops and piles of readings. One is even sleeping, head resting on top of a thick book. It's such a quiet day, time sluggish and slow, that no one expects a huge change to come. Kyungsoo is busy slaving away in the kitchen, kneading dough to make homemade pasta. It's therapeutic, the constant motion of pushing and pulling, the pale yellow dough becoming more elastic by each push of the heel of his hand. An old-school radio plays an unknown song, melodramatic and sorrowful. Something about staying under a curtain? He's not updated on the latest songs, but he picks up the tune easily anyway and hums along the unknown tune. _Hey_ , he thinks absently as he carries the big ball of pasta to the side to rest, _this is a pretty good song. I wonder who sang_ —

"OH MY GOD!"

Baekhyun's shriek pierces throughout the back area, the entire café even, and Kyungsoo drops the ball of pasta on the counter in surprise. What the hell.

"Baekhyun, what the—" He hisses as his cousin storms into the kitchen, looking shaken to the core. From the small window, he could see the customers looking a little disoriented at the scream. The girl who was asleep earlier is even blinking confusedly at everything.

"Kyungsoo, oh my god, oh my god—" Baekhyun grabs him by the shoulders and shakes him violently. "He's here! In our café! Oh my god!"

"Who?" Kyungsoo wrestles out of his cousin's grip, going back to the counter to roll out the other ball of pasta that he made earlier while the fresh one rests. "Who's here? A customer?"

"Not just a customer, Kyungsoo! Suho!" Baekhyun shrieks again and proceeds to jump around the kitchen in a frenzy, panicking. "Oh my god, I saw his car outside and oh my god, my hair is such a mess today, why now, _oh my god_ —"

"Who?" Kyungsoo repeats, peeling off the cling wrap from the dough. "Is he your friend?"

Baekhyun stops his crazy antics to glare at his cousin, disbelief and exasperation written all over his features. "I know you live under a rock, but how can you not know who Suho is?" He asks, shaking his head. "He's just like, the nation's newest big thing! He is South Korea's guardian with an angelic voice and the face of a god! How can you not know him, Soo?"

"Baekhyun, you know I'm not up to date with whatever pop trend is making the millennials crazy." He shrugs, unperturbed as he cuts the dough into smaller balls for easier rolling. Kyungsoo prefers K-indie rather than K-pop, and he is better versed at Western artists more than the local music scene. Don't get him wrong, he's all about supporting the hallyu wave, but to him, the K-pop industry is just so...chaotic, sometimes. It seems like a headache to immerse oneself into.

"Yeah, I know about your obsolete taste in music, you old man, but that's not my point!" Baekhyun waves him off angrily. "Suho is really popular, even with the ahjummas. He's the nation's newest face. You must've seen him somewhere!"

"Probably. So anyway, he's here? In my café?" Kyungsoo asks dismissively, sprinkling flour all over his work surface. "Why don't you serve him, then? I'm sure he'll grace you with an autograph if you ask nicely."

"Kyungsoo, I can't face him looking like _this_ ," Baekhyun moans in despair, gesticulating wildly to his appearance. Kyungsoo takes in his cousin's artfully tousled brown hair, glowing skin, crisp black short-sleeved polo, spotless grey apron, and skinny jeans that accentuate his thighs and ass, Baekhyun's self-proclaimed assets, before looking down at his flour-dusted grey college shirt and equally flour-covered hands. His hair is still bunched on top of his head with a neon pink scrunchie—his niece's, she left it at his apartment—and he's pretty sure he has cocoa powder on his cheek.

"Right." He shakes his head slightly before moving to cover the pasta dough with a kitchen towel. "You owe me a meal, Byun. I don't pay you to freak out and disturb my customers."

"I owe you my _life_ ," Baekhyun replies reverently, and Kyungsoo rolls his eyes at him as he tugs off his scrunchie and runs a (still flour-covered) hand through his hair. Best to get it over with, he thinks as he exits the kitchen.

The café is back to being serene once more, the sleeping girl snoring away again and the other students back to squinting at their different scholarly texts. Only now, there's a man standing in front of the counter, surveying the menu behind large round glasses. He is decked in a dark blue coat too long for his short frame, covering what looks like a plain white shirt and light washed jeans. His brown fringe peeks from a black beanie, and a black face mask covers the lower half of his face. He looks attractive, but also a little silly if Kyungsoo were to be honest. Is this guy really a superstar?

"Hi, welcome to Limelight, what can I get you today?" Kyungsoo says, not even bothering to sound cheerful. "I recommend the white chocolate mocha, it's a personal favorite."

(Lies. He likes the caramel macchiato best, but Baekhyun accidentally ordered too much white chocolate, and they're trying to discreetly get rid of it.)

"Mm, sounds too sweet. It might damage my voice," The man replies, eyes twinkling. He pulls down his face mask, revealing lightly pink cheeks and an equally pink smirk. "I'll have an Americano instead. Large, less ice."

"Alright." Unfazed, Kyungsoo punches the order and reaches for a cup. "Name?"

"Suho. But announce SH, please. I don't really want to be recognized." The man—Suho—grins at him, and by the looks of it, he's expecting Kyungsoo to finally, _finally_ recognize him and start fanboying like his cousin. That's unfortunate, because Kyungsoo doesn't care. He simply looks over at him with boredom before going back to scribbling the name on the cup.

"Anything else? Would you like something to eat?" He asks, placing the cup to the side. "We're out of pasta, but if you could wait for a few more minutes, a freshly baked batch of blueberry muffins are coming out of the oven."

"Ah, that sounds great, but no thanks. My comeback's coming up, I need to diet." Suho shrugs, not even looking apologetic. "Idol life and all."

"That's nice. 12,000 won." Kyungsoo deadpans, and Suho actually looks a little flustered as he hands his card. He fumbles with the stylus as he signs, glancing up nervously at Kyungsoo as he hands back the machine.

"I'll just, um, stay there," He stutters before scurrying away, overconfident persona gone in a jiffy. Kyungsoo shakes his head as he turns to make the order. Perhaps he's not used to not being fawned over, and Kyungsoo's blasé interaction with him knocked him off-kilter. He feels a little sorry for Suho, but really, no matter how famous someone is, there will always be people who would hate him, not know him, or not care about him. Kyungsoo just so happens to fall under the last category. That is one of the dangers of idol life, he thinks. People assume that just because they sing and dance on Music Bank weekly, the rest of the population will fall on their feet. Too bad, because Kyungsoo has better things to do than blindly follow an idol who won't even know his name, ever.

"One large Americano, less ice for SH," He announces, placing the drink on the counter. Suho doesn't look up, typing away furiously on his phone. Perhaps he didn't hear, or he wasn't used to the name. Kyungsoo clears his throat loudly, and the idol finally looks up, startled. Upon seeing an unimpressed Kyungsoo and his drink on the counter, Suho perks up and quickly scrambles to the counter.

"Thank you," He mumbles, gratefully accepting his drink. Kyungsoo merely nods at him before turning to leave to go back to the kitchen. From the corner of his eye, however, he sees Suho still idling in front of the counter, looking hesitant. With a sigh, he turns to face the idol once again and tries his best not to look annoyed.

"Can I help you with anything else?" Kyungsoo asks. "I got your drink right, don't worry."

"I know. It's just, um... You don't really know who I am?" Suho looks at him, doe eyes confused and a little sad. It warms Kyungsoo's heart, but just a little bit. He's just really sensitive to small, pitiful animals, and Suho looks like a little baby bunny, so. There.

Ahem.

"Unfortunately, no." Kyungsoo shakes his head. "But don't get offended or anything, I'm just not updated on the recent music scene."

"But I'm famous," Suho mumbles, gnawing his straw bemusedly. "You must have heard me somewhere."

"I've heard about you, alright." He snorts. "Baekhyun, the cashier, told me about you. He says you're South Korea's guard or something—"

"Guardian," Suho corrects timidly. "I'm South Korea's guardian with the voice of an angel."

"Whatever." Kyungsoo hands him a wad of tissues, getting a little irked now. This guy's cute, but he's way too full of himself. No thank you. "Anyway, he freaked out since I think he's a huge fan, so I had to take over. Unfortunately for you, you got the cynical, classical-loving staff member to serve you, so apologies if I'm not kissing your feet right now out of reverence."

"I—I didn't ask you to f-fanboy or anything, I'm just—surprised, that's all." Suho explains, tucking the tissues inside his coat pocket before clutching his cup with two hands. "A-actually, I'll just, um, go ahead. Thanks for the coffee."

"You're welcome. Tuesdays are my days off, so maybe you can schedule your next visit then so you can have a fan for a server." Kyungsoo gives him a sarcastic two-finger salute, and Suho actually blushes before pulling up his face mask and ducking out of the café.

"Was that Suho, the idol?" One of his regular customers, a girl with pretty red mermaid hair, asks idly as she ambles to the counter for a coffee refill. "Or was that just a cute guy that seems to always be around town but never studies in the same college as I do?"

Kyungsoo is tempted to divulge the idol's secret, but for some reason, he decides against it as he grabs the coffee pot. "Latter, I think. Gangnam is teeming with hot, unattainable men." He replies instead, filling up the pale blue mug to the brim. "Don't worry your pretty head about it, Joy. Go back to studying."

"I probably should. Thanks, oppa." She smiles before going back to her table, leaving Kyungsoo alone on the counter, coffee pot in his hand as he stares blankly at the empty parking space in front of his café. Only when Baekhyun drops something inside the kitchen does he break out of his reverie and rushes to the backroom.

 

 

He wasn't lying to Suho when he said Tuesdays were his days off, but on this particular Tuesday, Kyungsoo pulls his jacket closer to his tiny frame as he makes his way to Limelight. Baekhyun had caught the flu, probably from walking under the rain so often, so Kyungsoo had to cover for him. He was looking forward to just staying at home and reading, but his business needs him.

With a sigh, Kyungsoo rubs his eyes under his glasses as he approaches the café. He needs to get his eyes checked, he thinks as he blindly reaches for the door handle. His astigmatism is getting worse, he probably needs new glasses or—

Something soft and warm meets his palm instead of the smooth cold metal handle, and Kyungsoo opens his eyes to see Suho staring at him from behind his large round glasses and usual black face mask. The idol's brown eyes widen upon recognizing him, and he quickly draws his hand back. "Um, sorry."

"You're here early." Kyungsoo notes in lieu of a reply, opening the door for the both of them. "Should I be offended that you took my advice and came here on a Tuesday?"

"Oh! No, no, I just happened to have free time today." Suho explains hastily, trying his best to match Kyungsoo's quick pace. "Um, I just thought I'd grab a bite before training."

"Great. I recommend the cheesesteak panini with your coffee. Jongin here—" He gestures offhandedly to the said man on the counter, who looks up from his phone in surprise. "—will assist you. Good day."

"Wait!" Suho says a little too loudly, and Kyungsoo jolts a little as he turns back. "Um, you're not on shift?"

"Of course not. It's my day off." He shakes his head. "Don't worry, Jongin here is a fan of yours. He'll handle your orders better than I do." Kyungsoo tips his snapback in farewell before disappearing into the back area, leaving Jongin and Suho dumbfoundedly blinking after him. Whatever. He's tired and lazy, he couldn't help his crankiness even if he tried.

An hour or so later, when Kyungsoo is busy doing accounting stuff inside his office—alone, because Minseok is out of town—Jongin slowly walks in holding a steaming mug of coffee. "Suho bought you this, said this is your favorite. He hoped that you could cheer up and forgive him from being an ass the last time." He places the mug on the lone empty space on the table, far from the pile of receipts and Kyungsoo's laptop. "I didn't know you changed favorites, hyung."

"I didn't. I recommended it to him so we can get rid of the extra white chocolate Baekhyun accidentally ordered this week." Kyungsoo sighs and continues to work, pointedly ignoring the coffee. "Tell him thanks, next time."

"He means well, you know," Jongin says quietly. "He looked legitimately sad when you sassed him and walked out."

"Jongin, he was expecting me to fanboy when he ordered," Kyungsoo replies flatly. "He even confirmed if I didn't know him or not. The guy's an ass. He has an inflated ego."

"He's a superstar. He just came from a fan meeting when he first came here, and the day before that he was filming a guerrilla tour of Myeongdong. Of course he was riding on his idol mindset. Forgive him for not being able to switch back to normal citizen mode so easily." Jongin shakes his head at him. "Maybe it caught him off guard, you not knowing who he was even if he was just awarded the title for being the nation's guardian."

Kyungsoo sighs again and leans back on his chair, crossing his arms. "Still." He pouts childishly.

"Give the guy a chance, hyung. Idol life can be very lonely," Jongin says, standing up and brushing off the flour from his apron. "All he needs is a friend. Who knows, maybe you'll the one that can ground him back to reality."

"Get out of my office, Jongin." Kyungsoo waves him off, going back to his paperwork.

"Love you too, hyung." Jongin blows a kiss at him before walking back to the counter, slamming the door behind him. Kyungsoo glances at the door first before reaching over and wrapping his hands on the steaming mug on his desk. He brings the cup to his lips, inhales the sweet scent of chocolate and the bitter aroma of coffee before lightly blowing on it and taking a tentative sip.

He usually hates white chocolate mocha because it's too sweet, too rich, sometimes a little cloying even. Baekhyun makes them piping hot, and the few times he ordered it he burnt his tongue badly. But today, he revels in the warmth and the light chocolate tones on his tongue as he takes another sip.

 

 

Later that night, in the solace of his empty apartment, Kyungsoo looks up Suho. He reads his Wikipedia page, scrolls through Google Images, and even watches a badly edited video entitled, "Fall in Love with Suho in 12 Minutes (or less)!"

He doesn't fall in love, but he does download Suho's three mini albums on his phone.

 

 

The next time Suho comes in for coffee, Kyungsoo is mopping the floor. He hooks two fingers to tug his mask down, mouth open to say something, but Kyungsoo holds up a hand before he could speak. "We have tiramisu on stock today. It goes well with your Americano." He says, and he can see in the latter's eyes that Suho understands that he's forgiven. He nods enthusiastically and orders one to go, waving at Kyungsoo on his way out.

The idol drops by a few times after that, now more quiet and subdued. He always orders the same thing: large iced Americano, less ice for SH. Sometimes he orders pastries, but they're always for takeout. He pays using his credit card and waits patiently in the corner for his coffee. When it arrives, he always takes it with two hands, bows his head slightly with a small smile, and ducks out of the café. His visits are always brief and hurried, with no room for small talk. Kyungsoo barely even gets to joke with him, their conversations limited to "hi, the usual?" and "anything to eat today?" and "name for the cup?" whenever they get the chance. Suho seems preoccupied, probably busy with training, but Kyungsoo couldn't be sure, since his face is always hidden by his black mask and large eyeglasses. Eventually, Kyungsoo stopped being bothered about it and just accepted it as a part of his routine, Suho being one of his quirky regulars. He has a business to run and no room to worry about weird idols.

It's another Thursday, and Kyungsoo is alone manning the counter. The café is a little busier than usual, mostly with students seeking solace from the rain. There's no storm warning, but harsh drops splatter across his clean windows anyway, the wind whistling in its speed. Baekhyun is at the backroom doing inventory, Jongin is washing the dishes, and Chanyeol and Sehun are in the kitchens restocking the pastry counter. Classical music is playing softly on the speakers, but from Kyungsoo's earbuds, Suho's second mini album is on shuffle.

(So maybe he has had Suho's entire discography on repeat since he had downloaded them. He's still not a fan, but he's a sucker for soulful ballads, okay?)

The chime near the door jingles noisily, and Kyungsoo looks up to see...a human marshmallow? Someone in a puffy white jacket and white beanie shuffles in, thick black-rimmed glasses taking up almost half of his face and a surgical mask covering the bottom half. His movements seem sluggish as he approaches the counter.

"Welcome to Limelight, what can I get you today?" Kyungsoo greets, pushing his glasses up his nose.

"A large caramel frappe, extra whipped cream, extra caramel drizzle," The man croaks, and even if he sounds sick, Kyungsoo can recognize that soft, musical voice anywhere.

"Suho?" He asks softly, and Suho blinks confusedly before pulling down his mask and smiling. He looks pale, and his nose is red. "Hey, are you okay?"

"Yeah. Caught the flu. I need something other than instant ramyun in my system." Suho sniffles. "Figured I deserve a treat."

"You need medicine, not a cupful of sugar. Your voice sounds awful." Kyungsoo frowns. "How are you training in that state?"

"M'not. That's why I'm dressed like this." The idol gestures vaguely to his outfit, which looks just a little shabby. He still looks fashionable, if marshmallows can be fashionable. "Anyway, how much?"

"15,000 won." Kyungsoo gets his card and swipes it, Junmyeon coughing slightly as he signs. "Do you want something to eat? We don't have soups today because the shipment of vegetables didn't arrive this morning, but maybe you want pasta, so you can get something in your system."

"No appetite. Thanks, though." Suho sniffles again as he tucks his card back inside his wallet. "I just really need a pick me up."

"You need rest." He snorts as he takes a large cup from the pile. "Name for the cup? SH?"

"Junmyeon," Suho—Junmyeon?—says, and Kyungsoo looks up in surprise. "I'm not Suho the idol today, just Junmyeon the sick, pitiful adult."

"Junmyeon," Kyungsoo repeats slowly, writing the name on the cup carefully. He supposes that’s the idol’s real name. It rolls on his tongue better than Suho. "Okay, pitiful adult, take a seat and I'll call you. Try to nap first if you could."

Junmyeon chuckles before shuffling to an empty table, immediately curling up on the couch. Kyungsoo shakes his head before turning to make his drink. The idol's voice is awful enough with the flu; a sugary drink would make it worse. With a sigh, he puts down the blender and moves to where the teapots are bubbling happily.

Around five minutes later, Kyungsoo fits a cloth carrier around a takeout cup and moves to approach the idol's table. Junmyeon is already fast asleep, breathing heavily. He taps him gently on the shoulder, and the latter jolts awake before blinking at him sleepily.

"That's not a frappe," He mumbles, but he gratefully takes the cup anyway and takes a long sniff. "What's this?"

"Southern blend hot tea. It's black tea with rose undertones. Secret menu." Kyungsoo explains. "It's better for your cough than a frappe."

"Thank you," Junmyeon says quietly, taking a small sip. His dull eyes brighten just a little bit as he smiles up at him. "Hey, this is pretty great."

"Of course it is. It's my favorite tea blend." He finds himself smiling back. There's something about Junmyeon today that makes his heart all funny. Perhaps the vulnerability in the idol's eyes, or the fact that Junmyeon showed him a different side of him today, like he was made privy to a precious secret. "You sure you don't want anything to eat? I can whip up something for you real quick."

"No, I'm good. I'll probably stop by for takeout, I have my car." Junmyeon stands up and brushes off his coat. "Um. Next time?"

"Sure. Drive safe." Kyungsoo waves at him before moving back towards the counter. As he hears the chimes jangle, he looks back and meets Junmyeon's gaze. The idol smiles again and waves before braving the harsh winds. Kyungsoo finds himself smiling back, long after Junmyeon had left, and his heart goes all funny again. Maybe he's coming down with something, too.

 

 

Baekhyun offhandedly mentioned that Suho holds weekly streams for his fans, so on Sunday Kyungsoo downloads V Live on his phone and follows Suho's channel. At 8PM sharp, Suho's stream starts, and he props up his phone against his fruit bowl as he eats leftover fried rice for dinner. Suho's stream is just him answering questions that fans left on his official fanboard, as well as a few anecdotes and song covers here and there. He's wearing his large round glasses again, his brown hair ungelled and fluffy, and his grey hoodie a little oversized. A guitar is perched on his lap, the body decorated with cute bunny stickers. He looks soft, and Kyungsoo unconsciously smiles at his screen as he sprinkles nori all over his rice.

"Oppa, I heard you got sick last week. How are you feeling? Please stay healthy~" Junmyeon reads in a high pitched voice, his eyes crinkling as he smiles. He looks healthier, even in low resolution. "Ah, thank you for your thoughts! Yes, I caught the flu last week, but I'm fine now. Hot tea and rest helps a lot! I recommend black tea, it's a newfound favorite."

Kyungsoo snorts as he fishes out a piece of shrimp from his rice. Sure.

"Being sick sucked big time, so everyone, please take care of yourself! Catching the bug is really tough, but most especially this bug..." Junmyeon picks up his guitar and strums a few bars. Kyungsoo belatedly realizes it's the the Jonas Brothers' Lovebug, and his heart goes all funny again as Junmyeon starts singing in lightly accented English.

Oh, no.

 

 

Kyungsoo is having a little crisis.

Remember that time when he said he wasn't a fan of mainstream Kpop? Remember when he and Suho were just civil, strictly customer and server? Remember that time when he hated Suho's guts because he's a prissy diva? Remember that time when he didn't even know Suho existed? Yeah, good times, right? Can someone turn time back so everyone can be happy again and things will be back to normal and Kyungsoo can live his simple, quiet life once more.

"You look frazzled." Junmyeon observes as he claims his order. Today, it's iced darjeeling and a walnut cake, as per Chanyeol's coercion (more on that later). Today, he is dressed in a simple turtleneck and matching coat, cap pulled low down his face, obscuring even his usual round glasses. Today, he’s in a rush, but he still finds the time to chat with Kyungsoo. “Rough day?"

More like rough few weeks, but—"No, I'm good." Kyungsoo waves him off. "Good luck with training today."

"Thanks! Feel better, all right?" Junmyeon's eyes crinkle as he smiles before crouching down to coo a goodbye at Mongryong, who was snoozing near the claiming counter. "I'll see you tomorrow, Mongryongie. And you too, Kyungsoo."

"See you," He says as the idol flashes him one last smile before moving out of the café, the chime jingling in his wake.

 _That_. That is the reason why Kyungsoo is having a small meltdown right in the middle of his store. Junmyeon coming in and chatting with him like they're old friends before leaving like a gust of wind, the chimes chasing after his departure. Sometimes he even stays a while and strikes up a longer conversation. From an idol with a star complex to a regular customer to—dare he say it?—an acquaintance (he refuses to call them friends, or anything other than that). Junmyeon has managed to worm his way into Kyungsoo's life, and Kyungsoo does not like it one bit.

After his pitiful adult fiasco, Junmyeon noticeably loosens up around Kyungsoo. If before he would just give a small smile and finish the transaction as quickly as possible, now the idol would actually order something to eat and get a table. It’s usually the corner table where no one likes to stay because it doesn’t have a socket nearby and the wall blocks the view from the window to maintain his anonymity, but sometimes Junmyeon would take a seat in the bar where he can easily be seen but also converse with the staff (mostly Kyungsoo, whenever he’s on shift). He also ventures out of his usual Americano more now and tries new drinks every so often; Sehun even managed to rope him into being the test subject for new drinks a couple of times. All the staff members are now comfortable with him too, even Baekhyun—Chanyeol usually feeds Junmyeon cake scraps, Sehun and Jongin get fond pats on the head whenever the idol is around, and even Minseok has already went out for noraebang with Junmyeon. For all of Suho’s stoicism and emotional distance with his curt nods and hurried pace, Junmyeon comes in with bright smiles and crescent eyes and awful jokes said over a plate of cake and a mug of tea—not just in Kyungsoo’s café, but in his heart as well.

Okay, Kyungsoo may have a small crush on Junmyeon. He gets the hype now, okay? He was an unbeliever before, but now he understands why millions have fallen for the idol’s charms. Junmyeon does have one of the most beautiful smiles Kyungsoo has ever seen, and his personal favorite is his unguarded laugh when Jongdae and Baekhyun say something funny, because Junmyeon’s eyes become crescents and his nose wrinkles a little and his teeth show and his mouth opens wide and his laugh is carefree, loud and unbridled, almost like he isn’t a multi-awarded singer. Junmyeon is funny and sometimes a little dumb, he likes to dance in his seat and make funny faces and coo at Mongryong like he’s a baby. Junmyeon acts around Kyungsoo’s staff like they’re long time best friends, and treats the fans that shyly come up to him for a photo and autograph with a certain fondness and gentleness that makes Kyungsoo’s heart skip. Junmyeon treats Kyungsoo like a long-time friend, often reminding him about simple things like _eat your lunch_ and _don’t drink too much coffee today_ and _take care on your walk home_. He floods his Kakaotalk with selfies and random messages whenever he’s not in the café, and he brings takeout for him to eat whenever he grabs a bite outside Limelight. Junmyeon has long forgiven him for acting like an ass the first few times they met, and he acts like Kyungsoo never ignored him before. Junmyeon doesn’t treat him like someone lower than him, nor does he flaunt his idol status and demands special treatment (unless Baekhyun refuses to give him cake samples). Underneath the whole Suho façade is a simple man who loves bunnies and Pokémon, who has a beautiful smile and sharp wit and a gentle voice that has managed to make Kyungsoo look forward to Sunday streams and daily café visits. And he hates it.

He hates this crush because he knows Junmyeon will never pay that kind of attention to a nobody like him. He knows they are worlds apart, and that he has no place in Junmyeon’s world. He knows that while Suhoneys (Junmyeon’s fans) are tame and civilized, they will not take the news of Junmyeon dating well. He knows that to the idol, he is just his favorite server and a good friend—nothing more. Kyungsoo hates this crush because he is so close to Junmyeon, and yet their hearts are so far away. He knows it is but futile, and that he is just gearing up for heartbreak. But how can he get over this crush, when Junmyeon never fails to make him smile whenever he’s around, when he’s always in the café, when he has rooted himself so deeply in Kyungsoo’s daily routine?

Ugh. Feelings.

“Hyung, your face is a little red,” Sehun comments offhandedly as he waltzes out of the stockroom, bags of flour laden on his arms. “You alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Kyungsoo smiles at his youngest staff member tiredly tiredly before going back to grinding coffee beans, willing down his blush before Baekhyun and Chanyeol could tease him about it.

 

 

Junmyeon is acting weird.

Okay, he doesn’t want to think about it much, especially because thinking about Junmyeon and his actions just ruins his routine and makes him even more attached. However, the idol is really not acting like himself, and if anything, it unsettles him even more.

For one, he keeps glancing at Kyungsoo. A lot. Kyungsoo often looks up to see Junmyeon already staring at him with those brown eyes that makes him melt. Sometimes Junmyeon quickly looks away with a soft blush, sometimes he holds his gaze with a smile before going back to whatever he was doing. Most of the time though, when Kyungsoo raises a brow or asks him if he needs anything, Junmyeon simply shakes his head and says _no, nothing_. He goes back to his food, or tapping at his phone, or scribbling lyrics on scraps of paper, but eventually Kyungsoo will feel eyes on him again.

Junmyeon is also more tactile now. Their hands brush more often now when Kyungsoo gives him his orders, their fingers overlapping when Junmyeon takes the cup from him. Whenever Kyungsoo joins him on his break (an occurrence that is becoming increasingly frequent these days), sometimes Junmyeon would reach over and ruffle his hair, or playfully kick him under the table when he’s annoyed, or lean onto his side when he’s doubled over laughing. Needless to say, every touch makes Kyungsoo’s ears turn pink, something the staff needlessly teases him about when the idol leaves.

Something new that Junmyeon does now is to ask him out for dinner. The idol knows he either eats at the café or cooks at home, but he always, always offers to go with him after his shifts, or after closing. Sometimes he says it while getting his orders, sometimes he texts Kyungsoo when he’s already back at his company. Kyungsoo had turned down invites to a newly opened steak shop, a samgyupsal place, an Italian bistro, an all-day breakfast café, and even a grill that apparently serves great bossam. Kyungsoo knows Junmyeon is too high-profile to have dinner with outside, and anyway, he has food at home and in the café. He doesn’t understand why the idol keeps asking.

There are a lot of other things—Junmyeon texting him far more often now, Junmyeon covering his favorite songs during his stream, Junmyeon initiating phone calls in the wee hours of the night to ‘de-stress’ and talk about each other’s day, Junmyeon trying out everything Kyungsoo recommends (Baekhyun hates this one, because he told Junmyeon that their lemon meringue was great but he only listened to Kyungsoo). But one thing’s for sure: the idol is acting really differently, and Kyungsoo is not sure why.

(Actually, he has an idea at the back of his mind, of the requited love kind, but he’d rather not entertain that thought.)

 

 

"Junmyeon's acting a little weird recently, isn't he?"

Jongin and Minseok both look up at Kyungsoo's question. The three of them are in the staff lounge, nursing mugs of tea and sharing a huge plate of Chanyeol's newest pasta creation, carbonara ravioli. Business is slow today, so the three can afford to take a break while Sehun mans the counter alone. Jongdae and Baekhyun are off, Chanyeol is in the kitchen experimenting (and waiting for orders), and Yixing is delivering pastries around the neighborhood with Mongryong. It's a pretty quiet afternoon—that is, until Kyungsoo drops the bomb on them.

"What?" Jongin asks around a mouthful of pasta. "Why'd you say that, hyung?"

“He seems fine to me,” Minseok adds thoughtfully. “What did he do?”

“I don’t know. He’s just been a little...clingier?” Kyungsoo tries, gesturing vaguely with his hand. “Like, he looks up more often and he touches more often and he’s just—I don’t know, there. Like, all the time.”

Jongin and Minseok share a confused glance. “Not that I doubt you, hyung,” The younger says, frowning. “But whenever it’s my shift, Junmyeon hyung usually just picks up his coffee and leaves.”

“Same. And even in our monthly noraebang hangouts, he’s his usual awkward self.” Minseok shrugs. “Maybe just you, then?”

Kyungsoo sighs in frustration. “No, I swear, he’s really acting weird. He’s, I don’t know—before we can barely talk to him and now he’s sitting on the bar, chatting and eating a second piece of cake. That we recommended. He’s suddenly so...within reach.”

“Does he act this way with the others?” The oldest asks. “I mean, we’ve established that it isn’t the case with Jongin and I, but maybe you share the same sentiments with the other guys.”

“He’s close with Baekhyun and Chanyeol, that’s for sure,” Kyungsoo says. “And he hangs out with Yixing sometimes, doesn’t he?”

“Yeah, but he’s not touchy with any of them.” Jongin points out. “They’re the ones who initiate the touching, if ever.”

"Just you, then." Minseok takes a slow sip of tea. "Maybe he likes you?"

Kyungsoo almost spits out his drink. “What.”

“Ooh, yeah, I could see that happening,” Jongin agrees around a mouthful of pasta. “Junmyeon hyung is closest to you, for one. And he always asks about you whenever you’re not around.”

“Not to mention these concerns of yours that only you seem to experience,” Minseok adds. “It all fits! Junmyeon may have a crush on you, and this is his awkward way of wooing you.”

“First of all, he is not _wooing_ me,” Kyungsoo huffs. “Second, we’re just friends. Third, he’s an idol. I doubt he’ll give me a second glance—me, a lowly café owner.”

“Who owns the café he frequents every week,” Minseok counters. “Hey, if I’m a top-star idol, I can just ask my manager to get me coffee. He drops by here _every day_.”

“He also doesn’t need to strike a conversation every time he goes, and yet he takes time to do so. Especially when you’re on shift.” Jongin pipes up. “See, hyung? Maybe Junmyeon hyung does like you!”

“Or maybe you’re both looking into this a little too much.” Kyungsoo frowns.

“Hey, who brought up this topic, anyway?” Minseok asks. Touché. “Anyway, if you’re so bothered, go ask him when he goes back tomorrow.”

“Oh, yeah. That’ll go over so well.” He rolls his eyes. “Hey, Junmyeon, here’s your coffee. By the way, do you like me? Cool, great, thanks.”

“You never know, blunt honesty might work.” Jongin shrugs, going back to their pasta. “He liked you even if you bitched out on him the first time you met, didn’t you? I’m sure he’s used to your acerbic charms.”

Kyungsoo aims a kick at the youngest’s shin as Minseok doubles over in laughter.

 

 

Annoying as they may seem, Jongin and Minseok were right, so Kyungsoo steels himself and vows to call Junmyeon out on his weird behavior when he drops by the café.

(That is, he freaks out about it during the entirety of his day off, running through all the possible scenarios of what could go wrong before finally going to bed.)

Wednesday comes and Kyungsoo is ready to talk to Junmyeon. He arrives bright and early to help Chanyeol open up the shop, and even switches with Jongin for his shift at the cashier (earning him a knowing grin). He stays with Baekhyun and helps tidy up the café when it’s time to close, and bids his cousin and Mongryong goodbye as he makes his way back to his apartment.

Junmyeon doesn’t visit that day.

Thursday comes and goes, and so does Friday. No sign of the idol. Kyungsoo is a little worried.

“Hey, has Junmyeon dropped by yet?” He asks Minseok as the Saturday evening crowd starts to slowly trickle in. It’s a rainy evening, and Mongryong is tracking mud all over the tiles as Baekhyun chases him around.

“No. I was just about to ask you, it’s almost dinner time and he hasn’t arrived.” Minseok frowns. “Try texting him?”

Kyungsoo sighs and pulls out his phone. It’s been awfully quiet, too. No texts nor selcas from the latter. It’s disconcerting.

 **To:** Junmyeon  
[19:04] Hey, it’s been a while since you’ve dropped by the café. You okay?

He stows back his phone inside his apron pocket and goes to take over making drinks, since Mongryong is still being difficult. It stays quiet as the evening progresses, making him forget about it as he helps Chanyeol manage the dinner orders. Only when the last customer has left and Minseok has flipped the sign to ‘closed’ did Kyungsoo’s phone ring again, signaling a text. With an excitement he didn’t know he had, he quickly drops the rag he was holding and pulls out his phone.

 **From** : Junmyeon  
[22:18] kyungsoo-yah~ ‘^’ i’m in jeju right now filming for this new variety show i’ll be in!!! sorry i wasn’t able to tell you when i went by last tuesday TT i’ll drop by as soon as i go back in seoul!!!!!!!!!! ^^

Oh.

“What’s up?” Minseok asks as he makes his way towards Kyungsoo. “Did he reply already?”

“Yeah. He’s, um, in Jeju.” Kyungsoo quickly stuffs his phone back into his pocket. “He’s busy filming.”

“Ah, the demands of Suho’s lifestyle.” Minseok shakes his head, smiling slightly. “Anyway, I’ll help Baekhyun and Chanyeol clean up at the back. You’ll be okay here?”

“Yup. Thanks, hyung.” Kyungsoo smiles back at him and watches as the elder disappears to the kitchen. Good old Minseok; he always knows when Kyungsoo needs his alone time. With a sigh, he picks up the rag once more and goes to clean the tables, squashing down the disappointment bubbling in his gut.

 

 

Kyungsoo is _not_ moping.

It’s been weeks since Junmyeon last went to the café. Two weeks, to be exact. Apparently (or at least, according to fan Twitters), the idol flew to Japan right after his filming in Jeju for the Osaka, Tokyo, and Nagoya legs of his tour. Other fan accounts also said that he’s helping out in producing his hoobae’s album, so he might stay there for a little longer. Suho’s just really, really busy right now, and Junmyeon is whisked away in the whirlwind of it all.

It’s been weeks since Junmyeon last dropped by. It’s been a while since Kyungsoo had to make his coffee, since he had to convince the idol to get a piece of cake and not worry about the calories for once, since he had a good laugh over the latter’s weird jokes. It’s been a while since Junmyeon filled the café with his bright laugh and even brighter smile, since he stayed and ate his lunch there to keep Kyungsoo company, since he spammed Kyungsoo’s inbox with random messages and invaded his personal space. Funny how Kyungsoo was complaining about this recently, and now that it’s gone, he’s complaining about it again. He even finds himself wishing the idol’s back, sometimes.

But no. He doesn’t miss Junmyeon.

It’s been weeks since Kyungsoo last saw the idol, but he is _not_ moping. He is not frowning more, he is not a little more irritable, he is not holing himself up in the office aggressively doing finance work and designing new posters for their social media page (even if that’s Baekhyun’s job), and he is definitely _not_ stress baking.

Jongin begs to differ on the last point, but as he enters the kitchen and watches Kyungsoo load up the oven with new batches of macarons rather vehemently, he’d rather not argue.

“Need help filling these?” The younger asks instead, gesturing to the many trays of multi-colored macarons covering just about every surface of the kitchen. “Business is slow, anyway.”

“I’m good, thanks,” Kyungsoo says as he folds the chocolate covered espresso beans into the buttercream that he just whipped by hand. “Jongdae holding up okay in the front?”

“Yup.” Jongin moves to the bowl of strawberry cream cheese filling and fills up a piping bag anyway. “And you? How are you?”

“I’m okay. Why’d you ask?” Kyungsoo wipes his hands on his already flour-dusted apron before filling a piping bag as well. “That goes with the pink ones, by the way.”

“I haven’t seen you stress bake in a long time. And macarons, no less. What’s bothering you, hyung?” Jongin gently picks up a strawberry-flavored macaron and pipes a delicate dollop of icing on it. “C’mon, you can tell me.”

“Nothing, Jongin. I just felt like baking macarons today.” He shakes his head, taking one of the coffee-flavored macarons and starts building the pastries. “It’s open mic night later, so we need to be ready for the crowd.”

“Hyung, we won’t be holding open mic in the Seoul Dome. This can feed an army.” Jongin shakes his head as he gently places a finished macaron down on the tray. “Is this because Junmyeon hyung has been MIA lately?”

The macaron that Kyungsoo has been pressing down together crumbles in his fingers. Damn it. “No.”

Jongin laughs softly and takes the ruined macaron from the elder, popping it into his mouth. “You miss him, don’t you.” It’s not phrased as a question.

“No.” Kyungsoo reaches for another macaron and continues making sandwiches, albeit a little gentler now.

“I promise not to tell the others,” The younger says. “Especially Baekhyun hyung. If that helps.”

It does. Kyungsoo lets out a sigh and places another finished macaron down, lest he crushes it again. “A little.” He admits, because that’s all he could bring himself to feel. “Mostly I feel disconcerted, because I’ve grown used to him being part of my daily routine and now he’s just...not there. Especially after I finally made room for him in that routine, which he inserted himself in, by the way.”

“Okay. That wasn’t so hard to admit now, was it?” Jongin grins at him, and Kyungsoo resists the urge to throw a macaron at him. “Do you like him?”

Does Kyungsoo like Junmyeon? Does this little crush, this longing count as something as deep as liking someone, or is it in the ephemeral level of a fan looking up to an idol? “I don’t know,” He says truthfully, and he knows Jongin understands because he doesn’t pry, just nods and continues assembling the macarons. “A little, I suppose. But I’m still not sure.”

“I remember when I delivered the coffee he bought you the second time he went here,” Jongin muses thoughtfully, placing the last strawberry macaron down and unceremoniously shoving the mixing bowls and trays into the dishwasher. They’ll deal with those later. “I told you to give him a chance.”

“I did. And look where I am now.” Kyungsoo gestures to the many trays of French cookies lying all over the place. “Stress baking one of the most difficult pastries to perfect because I’m missing someone badly.”

“Mhm. But hyung, my advice still stands, you know. Give it a chance—these feelings.” The younger picks up a strawberry macaron and takes a big bite of it. Kyungsoo doesn’t even reprimand him, because they have that many macarons to spare. “Feelings can be icky, yes. But they’re valid, and you should give yourself a chance to feel them. Enjoy them. Relish in the way it wraps around you and makes your insides like jello. Feelings are messy but they’re great. Give it a chance, and you might enjoy it after all.”

“Jongin, as much as I want to, I don’t think this thing will work out.” He shakes his head sadly. “He’s Suho and I’m...me. The idol thing is already daunting on its own. Like what you’ve said, I’m acerbic and cranky. This is doomed to fail.”

“Ah, but you never tried it, didn’t you?” Jongin counters. “All relationships can not work out. Divorces happen, breakups happen, engagements get called off, friendships end. Regardless of age, gender, career, length, distance, things can not work out. But they all tried. And so should you. If it works, then we’ll all be happy. If it doesn’t, then it’s a learning experience. But at least try.”

The younger ends his mini speech by popping the rest of the macaron into his mouth, smiling brightly, and Kyungsoo couldn’t help but smile back. “Since when are you all wisdom and gorgeous tanned skin?” He jokes as he finishes the last coffee macaron. “Thank you. For the advice, and for helping me with these.”

“Of course. What are friends for?” Jongin winks at him before reaching for the tray of matcha macarons. “Now, let’s get these assembled before open mic night! My crush is coming so I have to wait tables if I want to talk to her without coming off like a creep.”

Kyungsoo chuckles at his friend’s silliness as he moves to take out the last batch of macarons from the oven. Some things never change, he supposes.

 

 

Junmyeon has not only been neglecting his café visits, but also his weekly streams. Kyungsoo knows, because he refreshes the idol's V App channel every week. He texted him about it, saying that the fans are already weeping all over Twitter, but the idol is simply too busy to set aside an hour or two for a stream.

(Kyungsoo hoped Junmyeon would do a stream because he really misses seeing him at the café. He ends up rewatching old streams to appease his fickle heart.)

It’s a pleasant surprise when he checks his phone on Sunday and receives a notification from V Live. Junmyeon is live, still dressed in a white button down and black slacks. His hair is still gelled up, but his usual large glasses are already perched on his nose. Byeol, his puppy, is resting on his lap. He must have just gotten home. He looks tired.

"Hello everyone, this is the nation's guardian, Suho." Junmyeon bows his head, Byeol yipping in greeting. "I'm terribly sorry for not meeting you often, it's been quite a busy month for me. I see a lot of I miss yous on the comments section! I missed you too, don't worry." The idol squints at the screen, smiling slightly, and Kyungsoo misses him terribly.

"Anyway, to make up for it I'll tell you stories about my life for the past month, as well as answer questions! Byeollie won't move so I can't get my guitar, but if you want a song cover, I'll do it acapella." Junmyeon grins and begins telling them about life on the set of his new reality show, careful not to give away any spoilers for future episodes. He tells them about his co-actors, his cramped mini van, the places he toured, and even the food on set.

"You all know I love my caffeine, but the coffee on set sucks. Yeah, Heechul hyung, you heard me. We need better coffee on set." Junmyeon complains, absently stroking Byeol's fur. "It tastes like bitter hot water. It doesn't even wake up my fingertips, let alone my brain."

Kyungsoo bursts out laughing at that. Limelight makes strong coffee, and perhaps Junmyeon has been accustomed to it. Without thinking about it too much, he reaches for his phone and quickly types a comment:

 **dks112:** Go back to the café and get your usual, then.

He watches his comment pop up briefly on his screen before it gets flooded with affectionate Suhoneys promising him food support and coffees on set. He thinks it got lost in the stream of comments, as Junmyeon didn't react on it and went on answering questions and singing a few of his old songs. To be honest, he didn't expect the idol to read it, either. But to his surprise, when the stream ends with Byeol knocking Junmyeon's phone to the ground, he receives a text from the idol.

 **From** : Junmyeon  
[21:12] only if you make my coffee. i miss limelight coffee TT  
[21:12] and you, of course ^^

Kyungsoo's traitorous heart skips in delight as heat floods his cheeks. _Damn it._

 

 

Kyungsoo is an early riser by nature, so no one bats an eyelash when he arrives at Limelight at around seven so they can prepare to open the café by eight. The staff, however, notices something else as they sit down to relax before the Monday morning rush comes.

"You seem nervous," Chanyeol says around a mug of black coffee, large hands pouring an insane amount of milk and sugar on another cup. Must be Baekhyun's, because Kyungsoo likes his coffee as strong as possible in the morning. “Something on your mind, Kyungsoo?"

"No," Kyungsoo answers, although something is definitely on his mind. Specifically, someone. "Just tired. Where's my coffee?"

"Make your own," Baekhyun replies as he exits the kitchen, arms laden with trays of bagels and danishes. He slides them into the display counter before taking the seat next to Chanyeol, claiming the other mug. "So, did you watch Junmyeon's stream yesterday?"

"No," Kyungsoo lies as he stands up to pour himself a cup. His ears turn pink, but the pair is too busy sipping from their cups to notice. "He had a stream?"

"Yeah, after like, the longest time. He was ranting about the awful coffee on set, poor boy. He must miss the artisanal coffee we serve here." Chanyeol shakes his head, chuckling. "To be fair, it's hard to switch back to instant coffee after drinking freshly brewed ones for weeks."

"We've spoiled him, I think," Baekhyun muses thoughtfully, long fingers tapping incessant patterns on his mug. "It's been a while since he visited, no?"

"Yeah. Kyungsoo misses him a lot." Chanyeol laughs, and Kyungsoo almost spills the sugar on the counter. "He stress baked the entire week last week."

"I did not!" He cries. "And no, I don't miss him. Why would I miss him? Shut up, Chanyeol."

"Ooh, touchy." Chanyeol grins, expertly swerving the punch Kyungsoo throws his way. "Don't pour your coffee on me, I just mopped the floor."

"One more word and I'll use your hair as a mop, curly top," Kyungsoo huffs.

"Anyway," Baekhyun drawls, cutting the little argument short. "Is he coming over today?"

Before anyone could answer, however, the front door’s chimes jingle merrily, signaling the arrival of a customer. All three staff members look up to see a familiar man in a white button down and jeans, a small bouquet of carnations in his hand. His hair is down, falling in soft black waves on his forehead, and he doesn’t have his glasses on today. He looks a little pale and the circles below his eyes are prominent, making him look gaunt. Still, the crescent eye smiles and bright smile is awfully familiar, and Kyungsoo isn’t sure if his erratically beating heart is from the extra strong coffee Chanyeol brewed or from seeing the idol after such a long time.

“Junmyeon hyung! Hey, we were just talking about you!” Chanyeol booms, hopping off his bar stool and enveloping Junmyeon in a one-armed hug. “Long time no see! How have you been?”

“Extremely busy and decaffeinated,” Junmyeon says gloomily, still squished against the great wall that is Chanyeol. “I missed Limelight so much."

“Kyungsoo missed you too,” Baekhyun pipes up, and immediately flinches as Kyungsoo punches his arm. “Ow! I mean, we all missed you! Especially Kyungsoo! But yeah, let’s pretend it’s a collective sentiment.”

Junmyeon laughs as Chanyeol releases him, but he doesn’t comment on Baekhyun’s statement as he sits beside Kyungsoo. Their knees knock together slightly, and the touch is comforting. “So, what happened while I was gone?” He asks.

“Nothing much. Just open mic night,” Chanyeol says as he places a large mug of coffee in front of the idol. “Oh, and Kyungsoo stress baked for a week. We were swimming in macarons for two days, imagine that? And then he—“

“Chanyeol.” Kyungsoo cuts him off abruptly. “Don’t you have dough to proof?”

“No, I already—oof!” It was Chanyeol’s turn to flinch as Baekhyun elbows him on the stomach. “I mean—yes, boss, let me go work on that and leave you two alone. Sure. Great. Bye!”

The two of them quickly disappear behind the back door, Baekhyun’s giggles echoing in the empty café. Kyungsoo sighs and shakes his head. “Sorry. They’re...excitable, sometimes.”

“I don’t mind.” Junmyeon smiles at him, amused. “So, stress baking?”

“A work of Chanyeol’s imagination,” He answers, hiding his (probably burning) face by taking a sip of coffee. “How was Japan?”

“A little chilly, but great. Has better coffee than the set for Let’s Eat Together, anyway.” The idol wrinkles his nose as he takes a drink from his own mug. “Ah, I missed Limelight coffee so much.”

“And me.” Kyungsoo blurts out, and he immediately regrets it. Damn it, Kyungsoo, get it together.

“And you. I thought that was a given.” Junmyeon grins, handing him the carnations. Be still, his heart. “See, I even got you flowers and dressed up all nicely for you.”

“What for?” The flowers are nice, the blooms a light pink and the stems a vibrant green. They’re beautiful. Kyungsoo is smitten.

“Hmm, an apology? For not dropping by the café. And for not saying goodbye.” Junmyeon taps his fingers against his mug mindlessly. A nervous tick of his, Kyungsoo notes.

“I didn’t mind,” He lies.

“Uh huh. That’s not what Jongin told me.” Junmyeon chuckles. “Don’t you think covering the entire kitchen in macarons is a little bit of overkill, Kyungsoo?”

He’s going to kill Jongin. “It was open mic night,” Kyungsoo argues feebly. “And I was stressed about...accounting stuff.”

“Okay, we can go with that.” Junmyeon hides his laugh behind his coffee mug. “So you didn’t miss me? At all? You wound me.”

Kyungsoo opens his mouth to speak, but the back door suddenly opens and Chanyeol’s head pops out. “He was moping the entire time you were gone, so please please _please_ ask him out on a date already, we’ve been eavesdropping the entire time and my knees hurt.”

Junmyeon laughs out loud as a hand—Baekhyun’s, judging by the slender fingers—pulls Chanyeol back inside by the ear. Kyungsoo sighs and covers his face with his hands. He needs better friends.

“Should we make this quick, or should we torture them a little longer?” The idol asks. “Because I’m all up for the latter, but the former sounds good, too.”

Kyungsoo looks up at him. Junmyeon is bathed in early morning sunshine streaming from the window, making him look ethereal and almost shining. At the same time, his messy hair and bare face makes him look human and not an unattainable idol. And maybe it’s the coffee and jitters talking, or the longing deep in his heart for something more than just a friendly conversation over the claiming counter, or the way Junmyeon’s smile is soft and his eyes are fond, or just Jongin’s words resonating at the back of his head, but he sets aside all his lingering doubts and says, “You gave me flowers and we’re drinking coffee beside each other, doesn’t this count as a date?”

Junmyeon laughs again as pink creeps up his cheeks. Cute. “Not the fancy restaurant and candlelit dinner I was planning in my head the entire time I was in Japan, but sure,” He says, and Kyungsoo is so, so endeared. “We can have that for our second date instead. How does tonight sound?”

“You’re going way too fast, Junmyeon,” He replies, but he couldn’t help the smile creeping up his lips even if he tried. “Or am I dating Suho?”

“No, not Suho.” Junmyeon takes his free hand, the one resting idly on his lap, and laces their fingers together. His hand is clammy, Kyungsoo notes amusedly. “Just Junmyeon, the pitiful adult with a schoolboy crush on his favorite barista.”

“Hey! I thought _I_ was your favorite!” Baekhyun suddenly barges out of the backroom, Chanyeol falling onto his face at the back. “Kim Junmyeon, you traitor.”

“Sorry, Baekhyun.” Kyungsoo shrugs, and Junmyeon laughs again as he swings their joined hands together.

“You too, Do Kyungsoo. If I didn’t have a meltdown when Junmyeon first came here, then you wouldn’t have met.” Baekhyun huffs, but they all know he’s just joking. His eyes are shining with mirth, and the corners of his mouth are twitching. “I’m literally your matchmaker, and you repay me with treachery! I am hurt!”

Kyungsoo shakes his head and hides his smile behind his mug as he steals a glance at Junmyeon. The idol is still laughing, his eyes turning into crescents and his nose crinkling slightly. It feels like yesterday when he was a haughty, snooty idol with a star complex, who turned into a kicked bunny when his ego was trampled. And honestly, if he didn’t heed Jongin’s advice and didn’t give him a chance, they wouldn’t be where they are now—laughing at Baekhyun’s horrible acting and at Chanyeol’s complaints about his many aching limbs while sharing a coffee and the warmth of their hands.

“Best decision I have ever made,” He says to himself.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to the prompter for the cutest prompt ever!! Idk where I ran with this but I hope you like it!!! <3 Special thanks to D for being my rock and to the mods for being so kind, I'm rly sorry for any delays ;^;


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